Washington.- The President of the United States, Donald Trump, announced this Sunday the beginning of an international operation aimed at escorting vessels from third countries trapped in the Strait of Hormuz, amid the blockade imposed by Iran on one of the world’s most strategic maritime routes.
Trump explained that several nations, many of them unrelated to the conflict in the Middle East, requested support from Washington to remove their ships from the area, because they remain detained despite not being involved in the regional confrontation.
The leader stated that he instructed his officials to communicate to the affected governments that the United States will do “everything possible” to safely evacuate the vessels and their crews, allowing them to resume their normal commercial activities.
The operation, called “Project Freedom“, will begin this Monday and will consist of a support scheme to guide ships through the restricted routes.
Trump assured that the initiative has a strictly humanitarian character and seeks to assist “innocent people, companies, and countries” affected by circumstances beyond the conflict.
He also indicated that the safety of the crews is the main priority, noting that many ships are facing problems with food and basic supplies due to the time they are detained.
The US president maintained that the countries involved confirmed that their vessels will not sail through the strait again until the area is considered safe again.
He also highlighted that the operation is taking place in parallel with “positive” diplomatic conversations between US and Iranian representatives, with the expectation of achieving favorable results for both parties.
However, Trump warned that any attempt to obstruct the humanitarian operation will be met “firmly”.
The situation in the Strait of Hormuz has worsened following the escalation of the regional conflict, with Iran blocking the passage of ships and applying restrictions to vessels not linked to the United States or Israel.
The strait concentrates about 20% of the world’s oil traffic, so the crisis has impacted international crude oil prices and the global hydrocarbon logistics.
The White House reported that it will keep the international community informed of the operation’s progress and reiterated that freedom of navigation and maritime security will remain priorities until the situation in the region normalizes.
